Dazed and Confused
by TonyZivaFan
Summary: TIVA Sequel to 'Past Tense'. Tony is back at work and his first case is to go undercover with Ziva... again. But all is not as it seems, and Gibbs is on the warpath! Now Complete. Rated M.
1. Chapter 1

_Here's the introduction for my new story, the sequel to 'Past Tense'. This chapter sets the scene for what is to follow…_

"**DAZED AND CONFUSED," sequel to "Past Tense".**

**Chapter 1:**

Life had returned to normal for Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo. Two weeks had passed since he'd gone back to work after his second bout with the lethal Y-Pestis. Fortunately he had responded remarkably well to the treatment, and although he still lacked his full strength and was prone to being more tired than usual, he was back at work albeit on limited duties. He attributed much of his recovery to Ziva, who had been there for him throughout. They had now progressed past the friendship stage, and Ziva was spending more and more time with him. She seldom slept at her own place, and both of them had spent the past two weekends barely leaving his bedroom.

'_No wonder I'm so tired!', _Tony mused, unable to contain the smile on his face.

It was Monday morning and both were heading into work, using separate cars, in order to keep up the charade that they were nothing more than work colleagues. They had almost perfected keeping it platonic at the office, in fact it had become a game that ultimately turned them on. Several times Tony nearly slipped up, and the last time Ziva had to jump in and save him by quickly inventing a new boyfriend for herself. All of this was purely for anyone listening in, so they had fun putting their creativity to the test.

"So, Ziva, what does this new man of yours do?" Tony asked her from where he sat behind his desk, once they were both settled in.

"Do, Tony?"

"Yes, as in, where does he work? Is he a spy?" Tony was pushing it, but he couldn't help himself. He wanted to hear what she would come up with.

"Why do you assume he would be a spy? He is, however, how you say – very full of himself", she replied with a raised eyebrow.

"Full of himself?" Tony was suitably surprised. "Don't you mean, 'confident, handsome, larger than life?" he raised an eyebrow back at her.

"Yes, all of that too", she winked at him.

"DiNozzo, leave her alone. Don't you have some work to do?" Gibbs had been relatively easy on Tony since he'd returned to work after over a month of sick leave. He was also relieved to hear Ziva had been dating someone, for a time there he had his suspicions about those two. If he wanted to admit it, he still did – but he reserved that thought for an occasion where it was warranted.

"Yes boss", Tony replied, feeling somewhat guilty about deceiving Gibbs but too conscious about not wanting to ruin what he now had with Ziva. It was a double-edged sword.

Gibbs left the bullpen and promptly Ziva got up from her desk, quietly yet with purpose, and walked over to Tony. She seductively leant over his desk, placing her hands on its edge for support.

"Want to know what else my new man does?" she purred.

Tony looked from her chest to her eyes and back to her chest again. He swallowed. He knew exactly what she looked and felt like under those clothes, and it was almost harder for him now to not reach out and touch her than it ever was before.

"No, why don't you tell me?" he played along, his voice low.

"How about I just show you… later", her voice was barely above a whisper as she licked her lips.

This was not helping Tony's blood pressure any. If Ducky were to do a follow up test on him now he'd be through the roof and back on medication.

Ziva stood and walked back to her desk smiling. Fortunately for them she chose the right moment because Gibbs came storming back into the bullpen right at that instant. Saved yet again, thought Tony. Although it would be some time before he could comfortably stand…

"The directors office, NOW!" he barked, not missing a step as he headed up the stairs. Tony grabbed his jacket and quickly threw it on, zipping it closed as he jumped up from his seat. Ziva smirked, she knew the affect she had on him.

"Coming boss" he yelled after Gibbs.

He looked at Ziva who was trailing him up the stairs. "I know, poor choice of words", he muttered sarcastically over his shoulder as they entered Director Sheppard's office, closing the door behind them.

-----------

Gibbs motioned for Tony and Ziva to sit down.

"We have a problem," he announced.

Tony wondered if Ziva was thinking the same thing he was: they'd been found out. He inwardly prepared himself for the verbal assault.

"We need you both to go undercover again, but this time as a couple essentially caught in the middle", Director Sheppard continued to explain, taking over from Gibbs. "You are both to pick up a package from one source and hand it off to another. We have the couple in custody, so you will be meeting with them shortly to learn as much about them as you can. Our goal is to capture the end source, who is high on the FBI's most wanted list. I might add that you are only involved in this at Fornell's request."

Tony smiled, relaxing as he winked at Ziva, "So, sweet cheeks, who's gonna be on top this time?"

Ziva rolled her eyes.

"Not so fast DiNozzo. This will be different." Gibbs was smirking. "You'll be staying at the Empire Motel just outside of town. Your contact isn't big on expenses". He'd love to see how this one played out. It was well known that the Empire Motel was virtually a pay-by-the-hour dive, frequented by itinerant travelers and the 'not so desirables' of society.

"You are kidding, right?" Tony's mouth was hanging open. "That place is disgusting. It's a flea pit, god knows what we'll catch!"

Ziva started to chuckle, "Oh, poor Tony, worried about a few little bed bugs".

"This is serious." Director Sheppard stepped up. "If neither of you are up for it then I suggest you leave this office now".

"No – no, its fine. Just tell us what you need us to do…" Tony snapped back into agent-mode immediately, as did Ziva.

"You're not going to like this at all", was Gibbs response. He began to explain the circumstances behind their cover, and as he did so, both Tony and Ziva kept their emotions in check. This was not going to be easy.

_**TBC…**_


	2. Chapter 2

"**DAZED AND CONFUSED," sequel to "Past Tense".**

**Chapter 2:**

Leaving the Directors office, Gibbs called Ziva aside.

"Walk with me," he said to her.

They headed down the stairs and towards the elevator. Tony gave Ziva a quizzical glance and she mouthed _'I don't know'_ over her shoulder at him.

Gibbs pushed the button for the elevator and when it arrived they both stepped in. They stood side by side in silence until the doors closed, Gibbs pressing the 'stop' button as soon as they had started their descent.

Ziva looked at Gibbs, "What's going on," she demanded rather than asked.

"You know exactly what's going on, Officer David," he responded, not taking his eyes away from the front of the elevator. His expression was hard and his jaw was clenched tight.

Ziva also looked ahead. The silence was deafening in the small space. She reached across and jabbed the 'stop' button to release them from their prison, but Gibbs quickly reached across her and hit it again, causing the elevator to jerk uncomfortably.

"If you have something to say then say it." Ziva was seething by this point. She hated being treated like this.

He turned to face her, his blue eyes icy cold.

"Tell me about this new boyfriend," his eyes pierced through her like broken shards of glass.

She swallowed. He knew.

"I thought so," he continued. "You end it now or one of you goes, get it?"

Ziva kept staring straight ahead. Her stomach was knotted and her chest felt tight. She had never been happier since she and Tony had become so close, and she couldn't imagine her life ever being the same again if he weren't a part of it – a significant part of it. But could she live with herself if she were responsible for him losing his job? Or worse still, face being transferred back to Mossad with no chance of ever seeing him again? She couldn't think straight. Everything was fine until Gibbs called them up to the Directors office. He must have witnessed their little exchange at Tony's desk beforehand.

Gibbs stare was still boring into her. "Whatever you decide, this conversation never took place". He punched the stop button with force and as soon as the doors opened he stormed out of the elevator. They were now on the ground floor, and Ziva could only guess he was off to the nearest Starbucks for a triple shot espresso. Or perhaps he was heading over the road to the bar for a stiff drink. Lord knows she could do with one right about now.

She sighed and began the ascent back up to the office. This was not going to be pleasant, but she had no other choice, at least not at this point. She only hoped Tony would understand. She would sort things out later, after the case when privacy was not an issue.

------------

Tony and Ziva met outside the interrogation room, ready to talk with the couple they were to impersonate.

The man was about Tony's height and size, but he had a light beard that resembled more of a permanent 5-oclock shadow and wore threadbare faded jeans with an old grey t-shirt that had seen better days. The woman had dark hair piled high on her head with tight jeans and an even tighter stretch top, red nails and bright red lipstick. Tony even swore she was chewing gum.

Ziva glanced at Tony, her previous conversation with Gibbs pushed to the back of her mind for the time being.

"Are they serious?" she asked Tony as they observed them from the window prior to entering the room.

"Afraid so" he responded. He looked at Ziva and grinned. This might not be so bad after all. Ziva would look hot no matter what she wore, but seeing her squeeze herself into those tight pants would be amusing to say the least.

Ziva looked away from Tony, not wanting to further the conversation. Her earlier confrontation with Gibbs had resurfaced and her stomach was churning. What would she say to Tony? How should she approach it?

"Hey Ziva, how do you suppose they got involved in this in the first place?"

"Perhaps we should just ask them Tony", she retorted a little sharper than intended, walking towards the door of the interrogation room, not waiting for Tony as she walked in.

The woman, Callie, looked up and gave Ziva the once over. The man, Roy, sat still, looking bored.

Tony entered the room and pulled up a chair opposite, as Ziva continued to circle around them, taking in every detail.

"We only did if for the money," Roy offered.

"Shut up Roy!" Callie yelled.

Tony spoke to both of them. "Think yourselves lucky you aren't still doing the trade off. The people you are dealing with are high end assassins with links to the drug trade, they would not hesitate in killing you just because they felt like it".

Callie looked at Tony, a small smile forming on her over made-up lips. "Honey, do you really think we are that stupid?"

Ziva answered for him with a blunt "Yes".

"You have not done this before have you," Ziva said as more of a statement than a question.

"What makes you say that?" Roy responded this time.

"Because you offered to work with us", Tony spoke with a hint of amusement. "It usually takes a little more coercion".

"Look, it seemed easy enough and like I said, we needed the money," Roy reiterated as he glared over at Callie. "A guy approached me at the bar one night and asked if I wanted to make some quick cash. After talking it over, Callie and I decided we'd do it, so we met with the guy again and that's when he gave us the details and the package. We don't even know who's supposed to contact us for drop off instructions, all we know is that we are – I mean 'were' - to spend 2 nights at the Empire Motel starting from tonight until we – I guess now 'you' - hear more".

"Weren't you even curious as to what was in that package?" Tony was truly baffled at how gullible some people could be.

"Nah. Would you be for $10,000?" Callie looked at Tony with a wry smile on her face.

Ziva snorted. She couldn't believe this. These people were willing to risk their lives for a measly $10,000? What little respect she had for them was now completely gone. She headed to the door, ready to leave.

Tony was a little more hospitable. "Thanks for your time. You'll be kept safe until this is over". He was satisfied they had learnt all they required.

Closing the door behind them, Tony and Ziva walked up the hall to their office. Ziva was one step ahead of Tony and he sensed the tension in her. He placed a hand on her shoulder to slow her down. "Hey…"

"Not now Tony, we need to get ready to leave. I'm going to see if Abby can help me find some suitable clothing for the next few days. I suggest you go home and pack and we'll meet back here at 5pm". She headed straight for the elevator, bypassing their desks without even turning to look at Tony. The 'ding' of the elevator sounded and in an instant she was gone.

Tony stood at his desk confused. He didn't think there was too much more they needed to prepare before leaving. Sure, Ziva had to completely change her way of dressing, wear heavier make-up and put her hair up… OK, so maybe she did have quite a lot to do before they could leave. He however, had plenty of worn out T-shirts and knew the perfect pair of old jeans to wear. As for the short close-cut beard, it had already been several hours since he's shaved – it wouldn't be long before he had a 5-oclock shadow.

He sat down at his desk to check his email. Hopefully it would take his mind off the uneasiness he felt forming in the pit of his stomach. Something was up with Ziva, he knew it. She hadn't made direct eye contact with him since the morning. With their room at the motel no doubt being bugged, it was going to be close to impossible to approach her without everyone at NCIS hearing. He rubbed his brow in frustration, not at all comfortable about the next few days. He really needed to talk to her before they began the assignment.

"What are you doing sitting here?" Gibbs bellowed as he walked into the bullpen.

"Huh?" Tony looked up, frowning, momentarily shaken out of his personal reverie.

"Last time I checked you and Ziva were going under cover. I suggest you go home and pack. Be back here by 4pm".

"Ziva said 5pm." Tony realized as soon as he'd said it he'd regret correcting Gibbs. He winced.

"And I said 4pm." Gibbs sat down at his desk, taking a swig of coffee without looking up.

"Right boss". Tony shut down his computer and stood to leave, reaching for his coat. He glanced over at Gibbs, who was already entrenched in reading a report of some sort.

"Today, DiNozzo." Gibbs kept his eyes on the report in front of him as he spoke.

Tony walked out of the office, dazed and confused.

Once in his car, his last thought before hitting the gas pedal to exit the building was '_What the hell is going on with everyone today?_'

_**TBC….**_


	3. Chapter 3

"**DAZED AND CONFUSED," sequel to "Past Tense".**

**Chapter 3:**

As Tony drove back to the office after packing, he tried calling Ziva's cell phone several times, but each time it went straight to her voicemail. He was convinced something had happened, and it had Gibbs written all over it. He was both angered and anxious at the same time. What business of Gibbs was it to interfere in their relationship, if that was the case? If it wasn't, what had caused Ziva to act so cool towards him? No one really cared about rule #12, least of all Tony and Ziva, and as far as Tony could tell, even Gibbs himself had violated his own rule with the Director. He slammed his hands against the steering wheel in frustration as he drove. A dull headache was looming and the humid, oppressive August heat did nothing for his mood. He had taken a shower before changing into his 'Roy' persona, and already he needed another one. He hated the heavy humidity in DC at this time of year.

After parking the car and on his way upstairs to meet Ziva, Tony wiped the sweat from his brow and took a swig from the bottle of water he carried. He had absolutely no idea what lay ahead and if they couldn't get the chance to be alone for at least two minutes before they went undercover, it would be another two days before they could talk privately. The heat induced headache started to pound in his head at the thought.

Exiting the elevator Tony immediately noticed Ziva and Abby laughing together over by her desk.

"Wow", Tony enthused as he walked towards them, taking in Ziva's appearance.

"Hey 'Roy', Abby greeted him, a huge smile on her face. "Nice shirt".

Tony was wearing an old blue t-shirt with a few small wear holes on the front, and a faded logo that was now unrecognizable. His washed out levis were worn in all the right places. The sweat marks under his arms completed the look. The real Roy would be proud.

Ziva was smiling, but looked away from him before he could say anything. Abby had done a great job of helping her look like Callie. The bright red lipstick contrasted with her naturally pale skin and her dark hair was piled up on her head in a twist. She wore a tight tank top with no bra, of that he was certain. Her jeans were so tight he doubted she'd be wearing anything underneath them either. He had to swallow as he thought about how much fun it would be to help her peel herself out of them.

Before either of them could break the silence Gibbs rounded the corner with McGee hot on his heels. "McGee will be driving you to the motel", he kept on walking, heading towards the elevator. "Today, people!" he barked without stopping. Tony and Ziva grabbed their bags and hurried over to the elevator, neither one making eye contact. This was exactly what Tony was afraid of.

Gibbs did however, make a pointed, brief eye contact with Ziva, the small interaction between lover and boss not going unnoticed by Tony.

It was going to be a very long two days.

-----

After a relatively quiet drive aside from small talk, McGee dropped both Tony and Ziva at the Empire Motel, where they were to check in. As Gibbs had insisted they already wear the com-links, conversation had been stilted and Tony began to resent the entire situation, responding to Ziva and anyone listening in with sarcasm.

Opening the door to their room, Tony could only sigh in frustration. It was small, the bed was a double but hardly big enough for the both of them in their present state of mind. Ziva wandered into the bathroom, shaking her head in disgust. Tony dropped their bags and sat on the bed, bouncing up and down to test the bedsprings, creaking in time with his movements. He grabbed the remote for the TV and switched it on, and as Ziva walked out of the bathroom she was met with heavy sighing as the couple on screen screamed "Oh yeah, baby. That's it! Ooh yes, ooh, ooh…"

"You really are a pig Roy" she grabbed the remote from him and attempted to change the channel, but all it did was change the movie, however the scenario remained the same. She threw the remote on the bed and moved to say something but Tony interrupted her, "Not my fault, sweet cheeks".

"Stop calling me that", Ziva protested.

Tony got up and walked over to the bar fridge, hoping for at least something cold to help ease the tension. Mmm, just as he thought, empty with the exception of local beer and cheap, white wine. He reached for one of the bottles of beer and opened it, taking a large gulp of the cool liquid before turning to look at Ziva, who was glaring at him from across the room. "What, you want one?"

"Nice of you to ask," she snapped, brushing past him to grab her own bottle from the fridge.

The room was stuffy and stale, and the old window box air conditioner whistled and thumped as it tried to cool the room. Tony stood with his head over it, closing his eyes as he willed himself to calm down as well as cool down. Ziva sat on the bed, taking sips of the beer, wincing as she tried to swallow the bitter drink. She was hot and sweaty, the make-up clogging her skin and the jeans irritating her legs and groin. "I can't take this any more!" She jumped up and tried to undo the zipper and rip the offending garment from her body. "Argh!" She screamed in frustration as she threw herself on the bed, trying to wriggle out of them but the more she struggled, the worse she made it.

Tony walked over and put his hands on her calves, "You could ask for some help you know" he looked her in the eye.

"Just pull while I push, OK," she was still angry.

"Interesting choice of words, Miss Callie," Tony smirked. This could be fun after all.

"Shut up before I kick you where it hurts!" instantly Ziva regretted what she'd said.

Tony let go of her legs. He put his hands in the air and uttered a single "Whoa", not at all amused.

He walked away from her. "Do it yourself then. I'm going to take a shower". Ziva along with the humidity was driving him crazy. He grabbed his bag and stormed into the bathroom, slamming the door shut behind him. He ripped his shirt off and threw the jeans on the floor, breathing heavy. He was angry. Hurt and angry. Without another thought he immediately opened the door and stalked right over to her, picking her up and pushing her up against the wall, kissing her hard as he pressed his body up against her. God, how her scent intoxicated him. The oppressive heat only served to intensify his senses. He wanted her, and wanted her now, Gibbs be damned. She had managed to get her jeans off while he was in the bathroom, and now his hot sweaty hands roamed frantically over her near naked body while he pushed his right knee up between her legs, all the while continuing to kiss her senseless.

She responded eagerly and locked her arms around him, deepening the kiss as her tongue tangled with his. Her hand reached down to rub him through his boxers. He groaned low in his throat as she continued to touch him. His knee pressed harder into her groin and he could feel her wetness on his skin as she writhed against it. He was right, she had not been wearing anything under those jeans. Their breathing was ragged and Tony didn't think he'd last too much longer, but in a split second Ziva abruptly broke away, pushing Tony out of the way. She stumbled to the bathroom breathless and slammed the door shut.

Tony was left standing there, panting and utterly confused. He ripped the com-link from his ear throwing it wherever it landed and purposefully headed to the bathroom, tearing the door open and banging it shut behind him. He turned on the shower to muffle any conversation and glared at Ziva, who was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, head in her hands. They were going to talk and they were going to talk NOW.

"Spill it." Tony demanded.

Ziva looked up at him, tears in her eyes. "I can't Tony, not here".

He punched the door, hurting his fist in the process. Ziva flinched. She could feel the intense, raw emotion emanating from his body, knowing she was the cause. She stood and tried to get past him, but he blocked her. He placed his hands either side of her head as she leant against the door. He looked her in the eye and asked her again, gently this time. "I need to know, Ziva", he swallowed. "I need to know why…"

He held back his emotions as Ziva shifted under his gaze, wriggling out from under his arms to open the door. Once again she had left him standing alone, no closer to the truth. The heat from the water in the shower was fogging up the small room and he reached to turn it off. He exited the bathroom to find Ziva curled up on the bed, holding her now luke warm bottle of beer. She was dressed in a pair of her own boxer briefs with the tank top she had been wearing earlier. The air conditioner had eventually clunked to a halt and the room was hotter than ever.

Tony tried to jiggle the unit to make it work but it had finally burnt out. The heat was too much for it too handle. The air in the room was stifling and he was covered in a fine sheen of sweat.

Ziva watched him as he tried to get the air conditioner working. She wanted nothing more than to drag him back to bed with her, and show him how she really felt. She had to tell him what was going on but not here and not now. If only she could wait it out without destroying the trust they had built between them. She was yet to think about how they were going to share the bed together. Neither of them had spent a single night in the same bed without making mad passionate love all night long. The sex between them had been explosive from day one. Standing there in nothing but his boxers, a rough 5-oclock shadow forming on his handsome face, and droplets of sweat running down his back, she found it hard to concentrate on the task at hand: they were on mission, and were here to work. She had to stay focused. Unfortunately the only person in the world who could make her become unhinged was standing right in this very room with her. She got up and walked to the door and headed outside into the warm night air. She needed to clear her mind.

After a few minutes, Tony joined Ziva outside. She was sitting on the step watching the passing traffic from the nearby highway. The air was still thick with humidity but somehow being outside seemed cooler than stuck inside with the tension in the confined space of their room.

He sat down next to her, handing her a cold beer from the fridge. He looked ahead, not really focusing on anything in particular. "My com-link is inside" he said, still looking ahead.

"Mine too", Ziva replied.

They continued to sit in silence until Ziva spoke "Gibbs knows about us" was all she said.

"I figured as much". Tony looked at her, brushing a strand of hair from her face and tucking it behind her ear.

"We can't stay out here too long, it will cause suspicion and then the team will come to see if we are alright". Ziva was still watching the traffic as she spoke.

"I know". Tony moved closer to her. "What did he say to you Ziva?"

"I was to quit or break up with you. Or one of us gets transferred. Words to that effect".

"Then we play it out like we broke up" Tony put his hand on her face, gently turning her to look at him. He looked her directly in the eye. "We get through this case, then we go back to being careful. Very careful. I won't lose you Ziva, not now. I can't." His voice was soft and low, barely audible above the din of the traffic. It made the hair on Ziva's neck stand up despite the summer humidity.

"Me neither Tony. But I don't want to be transferred back to Mossad or be responsible for you losing your job." Ziva was holding his hand as he continued to cup her face.

"Then we have to become better actors". He winked at her. "We can do it. Trust me, Ziva". Tony leant in to give her a kiss, a gentle, long lingering kiss.

The phone inside the room began to ring, breaking the moment. They stood to go inside, but before Ziva entered the room, Tony held her back "You had me worried there, sweet cheeks".

Ziva smiled, raising one eyebrow as she spoke, "I thought I asked you not to call me that".

"Ah but you love it, I know you do," he gave her one of his famous smiles. Tony was relieved, incredibly relieved. He may even sleep tonight.

Then again, he would be next to Ziva.

And under the watchful eye and ear of Gibbs.

Yes, the next two nights were definitely going to be interesting.

_**TBC…**_


	4. Chapter 4

"**DAZED AND CONFUSED," sequel to "Past Tense".**

**Chapter 4:**

The phone rang again and this time Ziva was quick to answer it.

"Yes", she spoke into the receiver of the old rotary style phone in their room.

"Miss Smith," the voice answered almost matter-of-factly.

"Ah, yes, this is Callie Smith. To whom am I speaking?"

"You do not need to know. I do however need to know you will be available tomorrow morning."

"What did you have in mind?" she asked the stranger.

"The diner across the road from where you are staying. Be seated with the package by 9am. I will contact you there". The line went dead.

Ziva hung up and looked over at Tony, who was still trying to get the air conditioner to work, without much success. He punched it in frustration and all of a sudden the unit sprang to life with a hiss and a thump.

"Hey! Alright!" he jumped up, punching the air and high-fiving himself.

Ziva rolled her eyes, "Roy, that's very nice. Did you hear anything I was just saying to our contact?"

Tony immediately calmed down and went into agent mode without missing a beat. "Callie, I heard every single word. So what's the plan?"

"It appears we have a breakfast date tomorrow morning at 9am".

"Where?"

"That disgusting diner over the road." She nodded in its direction. "We are to take the package and be there for 9am".

Tony smiled as he walked slowly towards her. He raised his eyebrows. "So I guess that means we have some time to kill, my dear Callie. Have any ideas?"

"Yes, Roy, my little sweaty butt", she smirked at the look on his face. "We should get some sleep".

Tony watched as Ziva sashayed into the bathroom. She winked at him before closing the door. Fortunately for them they were only being listened to and not watched. The room along with an extremely tight timing schedule had proved too difficult to set up full surveillance as initially planned, so Gibbs and the rest of the team had to rely on com-links and microphone bugs as their only form of observation.

Now that the air conditioner was working again, perhaps it would be easier for him to stay cool – in more ways than one.

Ziva emerged from the bathroom still wearing her tank top and boxers, and proceeded to crawl under the thin sheet on the bed. The faded old red velvet bedspread had already been kicked to the floor along with any blankets. Tony headed to the bathroom, ready to steal himself for the moment he would climb into the bed with Ziva. This was going to test his self control, of that he had no doubt.

"Turn off the light will you, my darling," Ziva asked him almost too sweetly as he lifted the sheet to join her.

He complied, then slid under the sheet apprehensively.

They both settled in, on separate sides of the bed. The whistle and clunk of the air conditioner sounded even louder now and they both focused on it as a distraction.

Neither one of them spoke, but both lay awake, staring at the ceiling.

Ziva sat up with a start as the air conditioner once again shuddered to a halt. "Argh, bloody thing!" she swore as she lay back down, continuing to curse in what he assumed to be Hebrew.

Tony didn't know whether to laugh or cry. The entire situation would be funny under different circumstances. Maybe it would be once they had finished the mission.

Several awkward, silent minutes passed.

"Callie…" Tony muttered.

"Yes Roy".

"I can't sleep".

"Count something." Ziva suggested wearily.

"What?" Tony looked over at her.

"What?" Ziva was getting annoyed.

"Count what?" Tony persisted.

"I don't know, anything – try dogs," she offered.

"Count dogs? Don't you mean sheep?"

"Sheep? Why would you count sheep?" Tony was really starting to test her patience.

"Because you asked me to!" He continued to pester her.

"I did not, I suggested you count dogs. You are the one who wanted to count sheep!"

"Argh!" Tony reached over and turned the rusty lamp back on. He rolled on to his side to face her.

"Roy, turn the lamp off, please. Just because you can't sleep doesn't mean I can't", Ziva was trying not to laugh at the dejected look on Tony's face.

With a heavy sigh he reached over to turn the lamp off again. "Ouch!" he pulled his hand back quickly, promptly putting it in his mouth to suck on it. He'd received a short, sharp shock from the lamp as it, along with the air conditioner, was added to the list of failed electrical appliances in their room.

"This room is a joke!" he mumbled as he continued to suck on his hand, settling back down into the lumpy bed once again.

As both of them lay there, neither one could get comfortable. An unbearable silence haunted them. Ziva moved to fluff her pillow at the same time Tony rolled onto his side again. The pillow hit him square in the face.

"Hey…!" he looked up at her, rubbing his nose, serious at first, but then he figured he may as well have a little fun with her so he grabbed the offending pillow.

"Cut it out Roy." Ziva snatched it back from him and moved back to her side of the bed.

Silence reigned once again, until an argument between the people in the room next door erupted, causing both Tony and Ziva to sit up and look at each other.

"Whoa, and I thought you had a potty mouth", Tony raised his eyebrows at Ziva.

They settled back into the bed again, the shouting from the adjoining room getting louder until something smashed against the wall, one of the lamps they both figured. Things were really heating up next door, and it wasn't long before other guests started yelling at them to shut up.

"This is such a classy place, isn't it dear", Tony spoke sarcastically to Ziva in the half light of the room, lit only by the flashing neon of the 'vacancy' sign outside their window.

"Yes you always did know how to show me a good time Roy," Tony could hear the smirk in her voice.

Something else smashed against the wall from the room next door and finally all was quiet. It was almost deafeningly quiet.

"What do you suppose is happening now?" Tony asked Ziva in a near whisper.

It wasn't long before his question was answered. Low moans and groans could be heard where only minutes earlier there had been angry shouting. The louder the moans became, the louder the bed creaked, shaking the adjoining wall so much that it shook Tony and Ziva's bed.

"I would say its called make-up sex, Roy", Ziva deadpanned.

Tony and Ziva lay there, staring uncomfortably at the ceiling while their bed continued to thump against the wall from the action next door.

"You know, we could …"

Ziva cut him off. "No Roy, we couldn't. I am not, how you say, a demonstrationist".

"Exhibitionist," he corrected her.

"Whatever".

"This is torture, you know that. Hear me everyone? THIS IS TORTURE!" Tony was starting to lose it. "C'mon you guys, give us the grand finale – we're waiting!" He raised his arms and waved them dramatically in the air like the conductor of an orchestra as he got up and stormed over to the fridge. He grabbed the bottle of wine and 2 plastic cups, opening it easily as it had a screw-cap and not a cork. _Figures,_ he thought. After pouring two cups, he handed one to Ziva. "If we are going to be stuck here then we may as well try to enjoy it" he ranted. He really was becoming more and more frustrated and the fact that Ziva looked so damn sexy sitting there virtually in nothing but her underwear wasn't helping him any.

Ziva slowly took a tentative sip of the wine, looking up at Tony as she did so. She was pleasantly surprised. "Huh, this isn't as bad as I thought it would be." She motioned for him to try some.

He sat down on the bed next to her. "Well at least its cold," he muttered, taking a large swig. As he drank the wine, his eyes drifted to Ziva again, who was running her hands absentmindedly through her hair and tugging at her top in a fashion that would let the air in. Perspiration dotted her upper lip and she licked it off without realizing what affect the simple gesture had on Tony. The people in the room next door were up to round 2 of their make-up sex which did nothing for Tony's self control. He fidgeted on the bed, trying to subtly adjust his boxers to hide his growing erection. He imagined all the other places on Ziva where she could also be perspiring. He could just lick it all off. He knew exactly what she tasted like and now he was convinced he could smell her scent wafting over to just to tease him further. He swore he was going to come just thinking about what he wanted to do to her.

Ziva was enjoying the wine, and the sensual moans coming from the room next door were starting to get to her. After all, she had Tony right next to her, and she knew he was likely turned on as well. She saw him try to hide his erection but she didn't know how to tell him it wasn't exactly easy to disguise – the guy was built in more ways than one. Thinking about Tony that way wasn't helping her any. She ran her hands through her hair again to let some air filter through. Her top was clinging to her sweat dampened body and she knew her nipples were hardening from becoming increasingly aroused. She felt as though she was being ambushed by his scent, and everything about him became more tactile – she imagined the texture of his hands on her body, the strength of his body as it pressed down on her, the taste of his saliva, the taste of his…

"Zi – ah – Callie", Tony's voice was low, breaking her train of thought. He looked at her, "You were staring…"

She swallowed, a little embarrassed at being caught looking at him as if he were to be her next meal.

He slowly moved closer to her, keeping constant eye contact as he reached for her hand. He guided it to touch him where he ached to be touched, and she immediately engulfed him in her hand through the thin fabric of his boxers. He closed his eyes, a silent, gutteral sigh escaping him.

She licked her lips again as she looked from his eyes to his crotch and back. She moved her hand inside his boxers and grasped him more firmly. He tried hard not to moan out loud, so he bit her shoulder as she continued to caress him. He couldn't stand it any longer so he pushed her down onto the bed, kissing her in a heated frenzy. He pushed himself harder into her hand, rocking back and forth as he did so. Ziva's legs wrapped themselves around his waist and her other hand ran through his hair as they continued to kiss so intensely they would surely bruise their lips.

Their com-links were on the nightstand next to them. If they could keep quiet they might just be able to get through this…

The ringing of the phone made them both jump. Ziva let got of Tony just in time, as he was very close to coming in her hand. She answered the phone but was met with a dial-tone. Whoever it was had already hung up. Frustrated, she stormed to the bathroom, motioning for Tony to follow.

He was there in one step.

They closed the door behind them and Ziva turned on the water in the small shower stall to help disguise any noise they may unintentionally make. They grabbed each other and proceeded to rip off any garments that were in the way. She lifted her legs up making it easier for Tony who slowly thrust himself into her as she supported herself against the door.

God, he felt so good.

God, she felt so good.

She dug her nails into his back as he began to move quicker, meeting him thrust for thrust as the door slammed in time with their frantic movements. Their bodies were slick from sweat and they slid against each other in an effort to keep up the momentum. Both kept their moans as quiet as possible, but they couldn't help themselves when they both reached their peak, simultaneously screaming out in pleasure as they rode out the waves of their orgasms. They stood joined, using the door as support as they came down from their high. Tony helped Ziva move her legs as she was still shaking from the intensity of her climax. He wiped a strand of her hair from her sweat soaked face, kissing her full on the lips. He too, was slightly shaky, and they smiled at each other as their breathing calmed.

"Wow" he whispered with a smile.

She kissed him back, wrapping her arms around him. "Do you think anyone heard?" she asked him in between kisses.

"I think the whole of DC heard," he smiled into her kisses.

"But it wasn't us, it was the couple next door, right?" he winked at her as he continued to kiss her. "Kept us awake all night, didn't they", he kissed her again. "How is anyone supposed to get any sleep around here, huh?"

Ziva was smiling back, it may well work. If Gibbs had been listening in, or anyone else for that matter, how were they to know which room the sounds were coming from? If they weren't in the bathroom it may have been a different story, but hopefully the water from the shower and the door being closed helped.

Tony decided to take advantage of the cold water that was running in the shower and took Ziva by the hand, and led her into the small shower stall.

The now luke warm water streaked down their bodies, and they enjoyed the feeling as they could only remain pressed up against each other in the small space. Tony reached to turn the water on harder, hoping for some cooler water but it seemed even the cold water was now warming up due to the oppressive heat of the day and night.

As they stepped from the shower, Tony toweled Ziva dry and wrapped her in the towel. He followed her out of the bathroom and they fell into bed, her towel dropping to the floor. All was quiet next door, tit-for-tat he figured. He reached over Ziva to turn off the one lamp that was still working before settling in next to her with a contented sigh.

"Goodnight Callie", Tony nuzzled into her neck.

She didn't answer.

"Callie?" he lifted his head to look at her.

He couldn't believe it, she was already fast asleep, flat on her back, cheeks flushed and her kiss bruised lips slightly parted. He settled back down to join her. This case wasn't turning out so bad after all.

_**TBC…**_


	5. Chapter 5

"**DAZED AND CONFUSED," sequel to "Past Tense".**

**Chapter 5:**

The constant traffic noise outside the room woke Tony from a fitful nights sleep. He rolled over to find an empty space next to him. Neither he nor Ziva had slept much that night. The oppressive heat in the room, the constant clamor from the other guests along with an incredibly uncomfortable bed had seen to that.

Tony rolled onto his back and lay staring at the paint peeling from the ceiling. Ziva emerged from the bathroom in Tony's faded blue t-shirt from the day before, awkwardly trying to scratch her back as she walked towards the bed.

"Zi – Callie! Look at your legs…"

"Roy, not now. I'm itchy all over," she replied as she continued to scratch.

Come to think of it, Tony had been scratching in his sleep as well. He had red, angry botches all over his body. He looked down at his own legs, then at his arms and chest and back to Ziva. "What the hell is this?"

She flopped on the bed next to him, "I imagine its what you call a heat rash, Roy." She was now absentmindedly scratching her arm, not at all amused.

"Heat rash my ass" Tony replied. "We've been bitten by something. And my guess is bedbugs".

They looked at each other and quickly leapt up, looking at the bed as they continued to scratch. "Great. This is just great." Ziva ranted.

"Shower, now". Ziva grabbed Tony by the arm and led him into the small bathroom, slamming the door shut behind her. She turned the water on full blast and jumped in, scrubbing frantically with the soap provided. Tony stood still and watched her, he wanted to jump in as well but the cubicle was so small they would have no room to wash, which would defeat the purpose of taking a shower unless of course they decided to…

"Tony!" Ziva stopped scrubbing long enough to stare at him. "You are covered in bug bites and still you are thinking about sex?"

"Huh…? Oh… yeah, well…" Tony realized he was sporting a rather impressive erection and felt somewhat self-conscious considering the circumstances. He gave her a small, half smile then tried to make light of it, "Well it would take our mind off of the bites…"

"Just get in the shower will you," Ziva wanted to play along with him but the itching was driving her too crazy to think straight. He squeezed in between her and the wall and she did her best to scrub his chest despite him being pressed up against her. "Turn around" she ordered. Who was he to not comply? He squirmed in the small space, turning so his back was now pushed up against her breasts, his butt fitting snuggly into her pelvis due to their height difference. He could feel her nipples graze his back, which did nothing to curb his growing desire. His palms were pushed flat against the wall of the small cubicle and Ziva's scrubbing only turned him on more. He wanted to reach down and touch himself… but before he could do so Ziva's arm reached around and she began to touch him just the way he wanted her to touch him.

"Ah…" he groaned, closing his eyes as he braced himself against the wall, the water beating down on Ziva first then onto him, trickling down between his legs heightening the sensation as she continued to touch him. She began to rub herself against his back in time with her hand movements. Tony tried to get his arm behind himself so he could touch her, too. Once he had maneuvered his arm enough his fingers sought her out. This was the most awkward, tight space they had ever tried anything in and so far, it was working out just fine.

He leant his head back and they continued to stimulate each other, Tony trying to wait for Ziva before he let go. He felt her muscles tightening around his fingers, her breathing hot and irregular on his back as erotic, sensual moans escaped her throat. She spread her legs wider for him so he could gain easier access to her sweet spot. "Ah… Tony… that's it…" she lost control as he plunged his fingers deeper inside her. He had to use his other hand to help her finish what she was doing to him and he was quick to follow her over the edge. He clutched her hand tightly over himself as he rode out the intense waves of pleasure coursing through his sensitized body.

When their breathing had returned to normal they tried to turn around to face each other in the small shower stall. Tony kissed her hard and long as he had been desperate to do so since they began their encounter, but their previous position had prevented it. When they finally pulled apart, they leant their foreheads against each other. "You need another shower," she whispered shakily, her warm breath catching him on the face.

"And who's fault is that?" he quietly answered with the hint of a smile tugging at his lips.

With that Ziva raised and eyebrow and kissed him on the cheek, stepping out of the shower to leave him standing alone, the water still running. She gathered a towel and winked at him as she exited the bathroom.

--------

Fortunately for both of them the itching had subsided enough for them to not scratch as constantly. Tony dressed in his jeans and a different old t-shirt as Ziva applied her 'Callie' make-up via the small mirror in the bathroom. There was absolutely no bench space so she had to stack it all on the top of the toilet. Plus, she hated to wear a lot of make-up, she found it unnecessary and a waste of time, so she was not in the best of moods as she now stood, back in the tight jeans, already sweating from the rising humidity of the day as she hastily applied the mascara to her lashes.

Tony sorted through their belongings for the package, and placed it in a small daypack ready to carry it with him to the diner. He scratched at his face as more than a days worth of growth now covered his chin and jaw. As he waited for Ziva to finish getting ready, he paced around the room, both of them equally as frustrated with the appalling conditions. With any luck, the transfer with their contact would go smoothly and the mission would be over sooner rather than later. Even though he was with Ziva, spending another night in this hellish room was not a pleasant thought. Ziva cursing broke his train of thought.

"What the…. Argh! I hate this place!" her voice seethed with anger and frustration. He walked into the bathroom to find her on her knees, with her arm down the toilet.

"What _are_ you doing?" Tony shook his head in disbelief.

"Trying to get my makeup out, that's what," she replied with sarcasm.

A wet hand emerged with her eye-shadow and blush palette thankfully still closed and safe from the water it had just encountered. She gave him a look that truly scared him so he backed out of the bathroom. Her knew her well enough to know when to leave her alone.

'_Could this place get any worse?_' he truly believed it couldn't.

--------

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary when they arrived at the diner. They chose a corner booth giving them a clear view of the front door and all of the tables in-between. Tony perused the menu while Ziva kept all her senses on alert for their contact.

"Relax, he'll show." Tony didn't look up from the menu as he spoke. He was having trouble deciding between the eggs and the pancakes so he decided to go for both. Ziva, on the other hand, was too on edge to think about food. That and the fact there was nothing on the menu that appealed to her.

Before long a waitress announced there was a phone call for a Callie or Roy Smith. Tony nodded and Ziva went to take the call. There was an old pay phone around the corner near the entrance to the kitchen. Not only could she watch the cooks frying up mountains of greasy food, she could also see another door, no doubt leading outside directly from the kitchen. As she picked up the phone, the line was dead. Whoever had called them had already hung up. Something wasn't right, she could sense it. She turned to walk back to their table where Tony was ordering breakfast from the waitress. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Two coffees were poured as she sat back down opposite Tony again.

Ziva reached for her coffee but was stopped by an unfamiliar hand touching her arm. She looked up to see a man with dark hair slide into the booth next to her. Tony kept his eye directly on the man, who was smiling at Ziva with a predatory glint in his eye.

"And you are?" she asked the stranger while removing his hand from her arm.

"Someone you are supposed to meet" he replied, putting his hand back on her forearm.

This did not go unnoticed by Tony, who immediately reached over the table to grasp the man's arm with warning. "What do you want?"

"You know what I want. But first, I think we need to make a deal of sorts". He moved in closer to Ziva.

"Talk," Ziva responded, keeping her voice even. "We're listening".

"You have something I want".

"And…" Tony spoke this time.

"And I want it as well as the package." The man spotted the daypack sitting on the bench seat next to Tony. He smiled again as he returned to focus his attention back on Ziva.

"What about our money?" Ziva asked.

"Its here, all of it". He patted his jacket pocket with his free hand.

Tony watched his every movement until the man removed a thick envelope from his jacket and placed it on the table between them all. Tony reached for the envelope but the man was quick to move it back out of his reach. "Not so fast" he smirked at Tony as he licked his thin lips in such a disturbing way that it made Tony's skin crawl. _This is one weird dude_, thought Tony as he tried to mentally shake the uneasiness he was feeling.

The man began to stroke Ziva's arm. "First you hand over the package, then you give me one night with the lovely Callie here and you get your money. That's the deal."

As much as the man creeped him out, Tony inwardly smiled. The idiot had no idea who he was dealing with. Ziva would have him on the ground with his face in the dirt in no time.

"So, do I have a deal?" he continued to stroke Ziva's arm, edging himself closer to her as he did so.

"Why of course. Roy, be a dear and hand over the package" Ziva looked Tony in the eye and he knew she had a plan. He opened the daypack and passed the package to Ziva, who smiled almost too sweetly at the man sitting next to her. In a matter of seconds she had turned her body in the booth and kicked the man so hard in the groin that he flew out of the booth and landed on the floor with a thud. Ziva wasn't finished. She reached for her coffee and threw what was left of it on his face. "Sorry, Roy didn't tell you. I like it rough." She finished him off by throwing Tony's breakfast over him, along with her napkin as she stood towering over him, hands on her hips. He continued to lay there covered in coffee and eggs, clutching his groin with pain etched on his lecherous face.

"Remind me never to piss you off" Tony glanced at Ziva who was still pumped from anger and indignation.

The waitress called for them to stop fighting or get out. "This is a fine establishment. We don't cater to your type in here". She wiped her hands on her apron and stormed outside to light a cigarette, nearly getting bowled over by Gibbs, McGee and several FBI agents entering the diner. They had heard the entire exchange via com-link and were waiting for the appropriate time to make their move.

It didn't take any time for them to positively ID the man. He was one in a very important line of suspects the FBI had been trying to locate for months. One more meant they were one very important step closer to finding their end target. This man may well be the lead they had been searching for.

The agents cuffed the man who put up fight as he refused to let go of his privates. Ziva had done a good job on him. She was wearing spiked heals after all.

Gibbs shared a half smile with Ziva, as he shook his head. "Pack up. Time to go home. I believe you could both use a good nights sleep," he reached for what was left of Tony's coffee, taking a swig and emptying the cup in one mouthful. He winced. It was not good coffee. "How the hell did you drink that stuff?" he walked out of the diner, wiping his mouth and motioning for Tony and Ziva to follow.

McGee walked alongside Tony and Ziva as Gibbs continued ahead of them towards his car. "Yeah, so I guess a good nights sleep would be good, huh guys," he winked at them.

"What are you talking about Probie?" Tony was not in the mood for games.

"Oh, you know, noisy neighbors, fights, sex, that sort of thing. Can keep a person up all night". McGee continued to be cryptic, a small triumphant smile upon his face.

"C'mon Probie, quit kidding around. So am I to guess you were the one on duty last night?"

"U-huh."

"So then you heard the neighbors we had to put up with." Tony was hopeful.

"If that's what you say." McGee was really enjoying this. He was going to play it for what it was worth. "Oh and Tony" he looked over at him, raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah Probie?"

"Its not Probie anymore, okay? Its McGee. Or Tim. Got it?" he winked at Tony after he looked over at Ziva who was opening the door to their room.

McGee walked towards his car, ready to wait as long as he had to for Tony and Ziva to pack. He had dropped them off at the beginning and now they would need a ride home.

The panicked look on Tony's face was priceless. He was going to enjoy every minute of this.

He already was.

_**TBC…**_


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6:**

Inside the room Ziva was busy packing. "What a relief, I can't wait to get out of here". She walked over to Tony, throwing her arms around his neck but before she could kiss him, he put his finger to his lips to motion for her to be quiet. He removed her arms from around his neck and picked up a pen and piece of paper from the nearby table. He wrote in large letters, 'McGee heard us – he knows". He held it up for her to see.

Ziva shook her head, and reached for the paper and pen. "Impossible" she scribbled.

Tony took the paper from her and threw it in the trash. He pulled her towards the bathroom, removing his com-link and motioning for her to do the same. He closed the door behind them and turned on the water before he spoke.

"He was the one on duty last night. He more or less told me he heard everything".

"You sure?" Ziva still wasn't convinced.

"Sure enough. I don't want to be held hostage by McGee, do you? I think we should stage a fight, you know, leave the com-links on and just go for it. Make stuff up. Whatever. Put him off the scent."

Ziva smiled, raising an eyebrow, "Could be fun. Then we can have make-up sex when we get home, yes?"

"Oh yes, you bet we can," Tony gave her one his patented smiles, he was already energized with anticipation. He leant down to give her a long, deep kiss, his tongue slowly and sensually tangling with hers. They reluctantly pulled apart, Tony giving her a quick kiss on the lips before he turned off the water and opened the door.

McGee and Gibbs were about to knock on their front door but stopped as soon as they heard Tony's angry voice.

"Ziva I'm sorry, but you do – you snore like an old man!" Tony was trying to get into the groove.

"Me? You scratch in bed. And fart. Its disgusting". Ziva was smiling and kind of enjoying the role playing.

Tony actually looked a little hurt at her last comment. "I do not fart in bed. Whenever have I farted in bed?"

"In your sleep, you do. Its like a little train… toot toot" she pretended to pull the whistle on a train. Ziva thought she was being funny but Tony was obviously not amused.

"Hey if I'm going to fart its not going to be like a little train! You are one sick chick."

"What?" the smile slowly faded from Ziva's face, and her brow furrowed.

"Yeah you heard me. Some of the things you talk about are not exactly normal, you know."

"Oh and premature ejaculation is?" No more playing nice. Ziva was going to let him have it now.

"You are way out of line with that one Ziva and you know it"

"You spend more time looking in the mirror than I do – and you say I'm not normal?"

"Well at least I care about how I look." Tony was trying to defend himself.

"So I don't care about how I look? You think I'm sloppy, is that it?

"Sometimes, yeah, you are".

"Who cares?" Ziva looked him in the eye without any trace of amusement. She decided to go in for the kill, and end this stupid game. "Its not like we're in it for the long haul."

Tony was taken aback by that last comment. Maybe she really did want out of their relationship after all?

He picked up his bag and slung it over his shoulder. "If you only wanted sex from me you didn't have to go to so much trouble to pretend you really cared". Tony was glaring at her, not at all happy with the turn of events their so-called 'fake' fight had brought about.

"Oh boy, you really are something Anthony DiNozzo. You can sleep alone and fart all you want from now on because I won't be there to put up with it. Got that?"

"Fine."

"Fine!"

Tony flung the motel door open, nearly ripping it off its hinges and all but knocking Gibbs over in the process. "McGee, get me outta here. Boss, you can take her, I've had enough." He jumped into McGee's car and slammed the door shut. He wound down the window, waving at him in frustration. "Today would be nice, _TIM_" he deliberately annunciated.

"Uh, yeah – sure, okay". McGee immediately got into the drivers seat and started the engine. He was feeling uncomfortable about hearing their fight, sensing he may have been the cause of it to begin with. He only wanted to have a little fun at Tony's expense for a change, he was not a vindictive person and would never consciously hurt either one of them.

As Ziva walked out of the room, McGee and Tony drove off. Gibbs headed towards his car and opened the passenger door, motioning for her to join him.

"Thank you Gibbs. I waited as long as I could hoping he would leave. Will you drive me home please?"

He silently nodded at her and it wasn't long before they, too, were exiting the Empire Motel, Ziva leaving behind more than she had anticipated.

_**TBC…**_


	7. Chapter 7

_Hi all! This is the final chapter of 'Dazed and Confused', but I do have an idea up my sleeve for a new story, so hope you'll keep an eye out for it._

_Also, this chapter does get pretty steamy towards the end, so I'll put a warning before that part starts just in case…_

_Thanks for all your wonderful reviews – I hope you enjoy this chapter too!_

**Chapter 7:**

Tony was still fuming when he eventually got home. He threw his bag on the floor, kicked his shoes off and marched to the fridge to grab a beer. It was still early in the day but he didn't care. What the hell was that all about anyway? Where did she get off telling the world he was a premature ejaculator? He had never done that to the best of his knowledge. Well at least not with Ziva. What sort of a comment was that supposed to be? He took another gulp of the cool liquid before flopping down on the sofa, reaching for the remote to turn on the TV. 2pm in the afternoon, what was he supposed to do for the rest of the day now? He was not about to call Ziva, it was up to her to call him, damn it. He took another swig of beer and put his feet up on the coffee table. At least his apartment was air conditioned. Sighing, he looked over at the phone sitting on the side table, almost willing it to ring.

--------

Gibbs was quiet on the drive back to Ziva's place, but as she exited his car, he finally spoke, "You did the right thing".

"Yes I suppose you would say that".

Gibbs turned to look at her as she slammed the passenger door shut, the window open.

"He'll get over it. See you tomorrow morning at the office. Get some sleep". Gibbs drove off without waiting to hear a response from Ziva. He wasn't completely happy with the situation, but rules were rules and he wasn't about to start letting his team break them now.

As Ziva walked into her apartment, she immediately glanced over at her answering machine, hoping to see the message light flashing, but nothing. Why did she think Tony would call her after everything she had said to him? Then again, he wasn't exactly Prince Charming with his accusations of her, either. No, she would wait. She would make him fume a bit longer, plus she needed to cool down before she spoke to him anyway. Making her way to the bedroom, she decided a nice, long swim would be the best way to spend the afternoon. Grabbing her bathing suit, towel and swim goggles, the anticipation of swimming fast laps of the pool was what she needed to calm her down. That and a bottle of red wine afterwards…

--------

The next few days passed with Tony and Ziva quietly ignoring each other. Not that they had the opportunity for much contact. Nothing pressing was happening at the office so everyone was stuck doing paperwork, going over old case files and logging the information into their new internal filing system. Tony arrived after Ziva the first morning, ate lunch at his desk and avoided eye contact whenever possible. Any conversation between them was civil yet strained. Ziva spent the following day out of the office at a training seminar she requested to attend. Friday saw Tony down at the FBI headquarters most of the day, and when he arrived back at NCIS mid afternoon, Ziva had already left for the day. Both had been too pig headed to call the other in the evenings, so they were essentially at a stalemate.

Gibbs and McGee didn't speak about it, they kept their comments to themselves. McGee felt bad for Tony and Ziva, he could see they were both trying to hide their hurt, but he could never discuss that with either of them because both were too damn stubborn to even admit it. Yeah, he figured if anyone deserved each other it was those two.

Tony slumped at his desk, sighing as he ran his fingers through his hair. He'd had enough, he decided it was time to talk to Ziva but wasn't prepared for her to have already left for the day. He needed to know the real reason behind why she didn't seem to care anymore. Was she really only in it for the sex? True, at first he probably was too, but now it seemed to be much more. If only he could admit out loud how much he really did miss her.

"DiNozzo, go home. You're even depressing me." Gibbs walked over to where Tony sat, realizing this was not going to go away in a hurry. "Get drunk, hell, get laid - just do something about your mood and be back on your game monday, that's an order".

Tony glanced over at McGee who just raised his eyebrows. He was feeling claustrophobic in the office anyway, so he was actually relieved to have an early reprieve.

It didn't take him long to grab his bag and make a hasty exit.

-------

Ziva had busied herself catching up on laundry and general domestic necessities. When she finally sat down she found herself thinking about Tony again. That had been happening to her all week, in fact she found it very hard to concentrate at the office when she saw him, which is why she requested she attend the seminar. He invaded her thoughts and everything she touched reminded her of him, especially the clothes she wore at the motel. His scent was on everything which was another reason why she had to do her laundry. But it didn't help, so she decided it was time to sort this out once and for all. Glancing at her watch she noticed it was nearly 9pm, so she grabbed her car keys and headed downstairs to the parking lot.

-------

Tony had already watched 2 dvds, yet he was still preoccupied by Ziva. He was confused and angry yet most of all he missed her. He could smell her on his clothes from the motel, he could smell her in his bed and most of all, if he closed his eyes he could see her naked form straddling him, her breasts bouncing as she moved over him. That was it. He was going to sort this out, he was going to go straight over to her apartment right now. He found his car keys and left his apartment, the TV still on and the pizza he was microwaving still in the oven.

--------

Arriving at Tony's building, Ziva entered the lobby and decided to take the stairs instead of waiting for the elevator. She knocked on his door for several minutes without any luck. Pressing her ear up to the door she could hear the television, he was either home and not answering or he went out and left the TV on. He rarely did that so she figured he was home.

"Tony, its me. Come on, open the door – we need to talk". Still nothing. She leant against his door, staring at the ceiling. She could easily pick the lock but that probably would not be a good idea under the circumstances. Then it hit her. What if he had a date? Would he do that? Could he date someone else so quickly? She slammed her fist against the door before taking the elevator back down to the lobby. She sat for a while, gathering her thoughts before deciding what to do. When she stood she saw Tony entering the building.

"Ziva…" Tony stopped in front of her, surprise evident on his face.

"Ah, Tony, I thought you were home and not answering the door, I can hear your television," she was rambling and she knew it.

"I was over at your place." He continued to stare at her, swallowing as he realized his heart had begun to race.

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Um… Tony…"

"Ziva I'm sorry, OK. I'm sorry for everything I said to you, I was mad I…"

"Shut up Tony".

"What?"

"Just shut up and kiss me". Ziva looked up at him, her eyes wide and her breathing heavy.

In one fluid movement Tony was kissing her with everything he had. She returned the kiss with just as much intensity. They were so consumed in each other they forgot where they were – in the lobby of his apartment building.

---**_M rated from here on_**---

"Lets take this upstairs," Tony breathed in-between kisses.

Ziva lifted her left leg and wrapped it around Tony in an effort to get closer. He groaned low in his throat. At this rate they weren't going to make it upstairs. Then he got an idea – the laundry room was close by. He led Ziva the short distance down the hall and opened the door to the laundry. He glanced around, it was empty. He quickly flipped the latch to lock the door from the inside. Tony lifted her up and placed her on a nearby washing machine. She quickly removed her cargo pants and underwear, all the while watching Tony as he hastily kicked off his jeans and boxers to reveal just how aroused he was. Their lips came together again in a crushing kiss as Ziva wrapped her legs around his waist, pulling him closer to her. He reached down to grab hold of himself, teasing her as he rubbed his tip against her wet folds. Ziva was not in the mood to be teased, she wanted him and she wanted him NOW. She reached down between them and covered his hand with her own, guiding him slowly into her. Tony couldn't help but let out a low moan as her hot wetness engulfed him. This was wild, possessive sex, driven entirely by lust and desire.

Ziva flung her head back as she enjoyed the incredible sensation that was driving her body. She clutched at the sides of the washing machine, only to notice her hand landing on the edge of a tub. She blindly turned on the faucet next to her and flung cold water over Tony as he continued to thrust in and out of her. He groaned loudly, the water creating an inconceivable sensitivity on his hot skin. He reached over her to hit the 'spin' cycle button, immediately kicking the machine into action. Ziva's eyes shot open as the vibration underneath rocked her body to fever pitch. She let out a loud, strangled scream as Tony began to move even quicker within her. This was sweet torture and she didn't think she cold take it anymore, the past few days building up and eventually exploding as she reached her peak, pushing herself harder against Tony to prolong the pleasure. Her uninhibited screams had Tony in such a state he couldn't control himself any longer. He grasped her hips and pushed hard into her a few more times before the intense pressure of his own orgasm shook his entire body. The machine was still vibrating as they clung to each other, sweaty and slick with each others bodily fluids. With the exception of heavy breathing and contented, pleasurable sighs, virtual silence reigned until the machine eventually stopped its cycle and came to an abrupt halt.

It was then that they smiled at each other, realizing where they were and the circumstances that led them to this point. "If this is make-up sex we should fight more often," Ziva breathed against Tony's neck as she regained her composure.

"This isn't make up sex, this is just foreplay."

Ziva raised an eyebrow. "Then lets get out of here and upstairs before I tackle you to the ground for round two."

They broke apart and quickly gathered their clothes. It was only Friday night and Tony intended on making it up to her all weekend. The thought of that made him start to get hard all over again. This didn't go unnoticed by Ziva, who seductively brushed her hand against him. She grabbed him by the arm and pushed him up against the laundry room door before sliding down his body to take him fully into her hot mouth. Tony couldn't breathe, she was killing him with her insatiable appetite but what a way to go! He slowly slid down the door, groaning as he knotted his hands in her hair. His eyes were closed and he didn't know how long he could take it before he would lose control…

"Ziva…"

"Ziva… please, I'm going to…"

Ziva kept on with her ministrations, looking up at him through her lashes as she continued her assault on him with her mouth. She fully intended to finish what she had started. She wanted to taste all of him.

And she did. He groaned loudly as he let go.

Ziva moved up to kiss Tony, tasting himself on her as she licked his lips with her expert tongue. A loud knock on the door alerted them both to reality. "Security. Who's in there?" An authorative voice bellowed and continued to knock as they quickly fetched their discarded clothing and hastily dressed.

Tony unlatched the door to reveal a security guard standing there, along with Mrs Bramble, the 'old bat' who lived up the hall from him. "What are you doing in here with the door locked from the inside?" he suspiciously inquired, taking in Tony and Ziva's rumpled condition and obvious flushed skin.

"I forgot I left something here earlier…" Tony smiled sweetly at Mrs Bramble, who stood behind the security guard with a basket of laundry.

"Young Tony here is such a nice young man, aren't you dear?" she pinched his cheek as she pushed her way past him into the laundry room. "He does all kinds of wonderful things for me, he fixed my bathroom sink, he also helped me with my sick pussy".

Ziva coughed, trying to hide a laugh, as did the security guard who could no longer keep a straight face. "So where is the missing item you came in here to retrieve?" the security guard decided to have some fun with the situation. It was usually a fairly boring job at night, keeping an eye on the premises, and this was the bright spot of his evening so far.

"Wasn't in here after all…" Ziva piped up. She reached for Tony's hand, leading him out of the laundry, "I'm tired, think I need to go to bed _'dear'_", she winked at him, a naughty grin upon her face. The security guard was jealous. Tony got to go upstairs with this exotic beauty who obviously wasn't tired, and he had to watch old Mrs Bramble wash her giant underwear. Life wasn't fair sometimes.

In the elevator, it was obvious Ziva had one thing on her mind for tonight and Tony was quite OK with that. After all, they did have all weekend ahead of them and somewhere in there they would find the time to talk.

But first things first. Tony moved in to kiss Ziva as they walked towards his apartment after exiting the elevator, turning the key in the lock without breaking contact. They scrambled inside, the door slamming shut behind them in the darkness.

Talking was way over-rated anyway.

_**END**_


End file.
